Bossier Shelter Accused of Improperly Euthanizing Animals

Brandy Cornell, who was a Bossier City Animal Control Volunteer, accuses the shelter of improperly euthanizing animals.Cornell, who quit her position on Friday, says that untrained technicians used intracardiac heart sticks to kill animals without properly sedating them first. Cornell also claims she could sometimes hear the pets scream in pain due to lack of training and care by shelter personnel.

According to Louisiana law, the practice is legal as long as the animals are properly sedated and medicated first. Technicians are also required by law to train in Baton Rouge once a year on proper procedure and technique.

The City of Bossier is absolutely denying the claims made by Cornell. In a statement, Bossier City Spokesman Mark Natalie says: "There was no evidence that someone conducting euthanasia, putting animals down, there was no evidence that someone doing that was not trained."

However, Cornell provided KTBS with a document from her supervisor stating something different. In the letter Dale Keeler says that all heart stick practices would "cease" as of May 8 "until a technician is trained in chemical sedation."